Table 1.

Summarize the plastic polymer groups, properties, their application, and recyclability

Symbols	Types of plastics	Application	Properties	Recycled into	Comments	References
	Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE)	Soft drinks, water bottles, containers, salad dressing, biscuit trays, and salad domes	Clear, tough, solvent resistant, the barrier to gas and moisture softens at 80 °C	Pillow and sleeping bag filling, clothing, soft drink bottles, carpeting, building insulation	Can be used once (Single-use)	[17]
	High-density polyethylene (HDPE)	Shopping bags, freezer bags, buckets, shampoo, milk bottles, ice cream containers, juice bottles, chemical and detergent bottles, rigid agricultural pipe, crates	Hard to semi-flexible, resistant to chemicals and moisture, waxy surface, opaque, softens at 75 °C, easily colored, processed, and formed	Recycling bins, compost bins,	These are reusable products	[18, 19]
	Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plasticized Polyvinyl chloride PVC-P	Cosmetic container, plumbing pipes, fittings, electrical conduct, blister packs, wall cladding, roof sheeting, bottles, garden hose, shoe soles, cable sheathing, blood bags, and tubing	Strong, tough, softens at 80 °C, can be clear, can be solvent welded Flexible, clear, elastic, can be solvent welded	Compost bin	These products may contain BPA. They cannot be used in a microwave oven	[20, 21]
	Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)	Refuse bags, irrigation tubing, mulch film, cling wrap, garbage bags, squeeze bottles	Soft flexible, waxy surface, translucent, softens at 70 °C, scratches easily	Bin liners, pallet sheets	These are reusable products	[22]
	Polypropylene (PP)	Microwave dishes, lunch boxes, packaging tape, garden furniture, kettles, bottles and ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, straws	Hard and translucent, soften at 140 °C, translucent, withstand solvents, versatile	Pegs, bins, pipes, pallet sheets	These are reusable products	[23, 24]
	Polystyrene (PS) Expanded polystyrene (PS-E)	CD cases, plastic cutlery, imitation glassware, low-cost brittle toys, video cases/foamed polystyrene cups, protective packaging, building, and food insulation	Clear, glassy rigid, opaque, semi-tough, soften at 95 °C, affected by fat, acids, and solvents, but resistant to alkalis, salt solutions, Low water absorption, when not pigmented is clear, are odor and taste-free Special types of PS are available for special applications	Recycle bin	They cannot be used in a microwave oven	[25]
	Other (polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass, and nylon)	Automotive and appliance components, computers, electronics, cooler bottles, packaging	Includes all resins and multi-materials (e.g., laminate) properties dependent on plastic or a combination of plastics	Recycle bins	This product may contain BPA. They cannot be used in a microwave oven	[26, 27]